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This was closely followed by Greece, at 38 per cent, the Czech Republic, 35 per cent, and the UK, 33 per cent.

But when the figures include those who
are classified as overweight, 90 per cent of Irish men - and 84 per cent of women - will be either
obese or overweight.

In the UK, three quarters of all men will be either, as will eight out of ten Czech, Spanish and Polish men.

The slimmest men in Europe will be in Belgium or The Netherlands, with 44 per cent and 47 per cent either obese or overweight.

But in Romania, one of Europe’s poorest nations, only 10 per cent of women will be obese compared to Ireland’s 47 per cent.

PROPORTION OF MEN EXPECTED TO BE OBESE BY 2030

Ireland - 58 per cent

Greece - 38 per cent

Czech Republic - 35 per cent

UK - 33 per cent

Belgium - 15 per cent

Netherlands - 15 per cent

Lead researcher Dr Laura Webber, from the UK Heart Forum, an umbrella group of heart charities, said there was ‘little evidence’ of a plateau in obesity despite Government measures to tackle the problem.

‘Our study presents a worrying picture of rising obesity across Europe. Policies to reverse this trend are urgently needed.’

Dr Webber said her study – presented at the European Society of Cardiology’s Europrevent conference in Amsterdam – may underestimate the problem by not accounting for the increase in obesity in children.

Tam Fry, of the National Obesity Forum said: ‘The good news is that the United Kingdom yields to Ireland the title of being the fattest in Europe but obesity is a tragedy for both countries.

‘The policies that Dr Webber urgently demands are still nowhere in sight in our islands and, unfortunately for the UK.

'Though Westminster is fond of telling us that things are improving, it is only in certain areas.

In the main, the fat are getting fatter and to stop the rise, we need regulated markets.

‘Obesity
will not be solved unless the root causes of the epidemic are addressed
and we're only just beginning to look for them. The projections for
2030 look inevitable’

From their forties, adults gain an average of between 1.1 to 2.2 lb (0.5 to 1 kilo) a year, the researchers say

Earlier this week a think-tank warned that diseases caused by lifestyle such as obesity will ‘bankrupt’ the NHS within a decade.

The report by Respublica estimated that the cost of treating heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers would leave the health service with a £19 billion annual funding gap.

And in January, a major report by the National Obesity Forum warned that the problem could be far worse than previously thought as experts had not factored in how much fatter we get with age.

It blamed blames junk food firms for confusing the public about healthy eating and accused ministers and GPs are failing to get a grip of the problem.

The forum - which comprises doctors and other experts – also accused the Government of focusing too much on prevention rather than helping those who are obese lose weight.